1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to devices for protection of workers performing maintenance and repairs on roadways.
2. General Background
Each year, many highway maintenance workers are injured or killed by errant vehicles. For long term projects, concrete barriers can be installed to create a safe work area for highway workers. But for short term projects, it is impractical to use concrete barriers, so instead cones are sometimes used to protect the side portion of the work area, and a “shadow” vehicle is often used to protect the upstream or rear area.
But cones cannot stop errant vehicles that swerve into the work area, so there is a need for a mobile work zone protection device that can be deployed rapidly, and that can effectively protect workers from errant vehicles.